Dial operated stocking toe closer

ABSTRACT

Control device in forming the stocking tip on circular knitting machines, comprising a coupling inserted in the mechanical drive by means of which the dial associated with the needle cylinder is thereby rotably driven. This coupling can selectively restrain the angular relation between the needle cylinder and the dial to either an in-phase relation or to an out-of-phase relation. The coupling can also be operated for releasing the dial from the rotation of the needle cylinder.

United States Patent Lonati Oct. 21 1975 [54] DIAL OPERATED STOCKING TOECLOSER 3,838,583 lO/l974 Rume et al. 66/95 3,84l,ll3 101974 L k tl 1 1..6695 {75] Inventor: Francesco Lonatl, Brescia, Italy 126580 51969 fi zi 66195 [73] Asslgnee: i f g i gfiga FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS a c0 ore,

279,857 lO/l969 U.S.S.R 66/95 Fausm T'bem) Italy ll,696 10/1909 UnitedKingdom 66/24 122] Filed: Dec. 13, 1973 Primar Examiner-W. C. Re nolds21 A LN 424,431 Y Y l 1 PP 0 Assistant Examiner-A. M. Falik [30] DForeign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT .29 ['1 .1 5264 72 1 6C.972 m y Control device in formmg the stocking up on circular knittinmachines com risin a cou lin inserted in 52 [1.5.0. 66 95 g P g P g EInt llllllllll H 0043 15102 the mechanical drive by means of which thed1al asso 581 Field of 5m.j..IIIIIIIL'IIIIIIIIIIIIII."56/95, 21, 24culled l the F l is ably dr1ven. Thls couphng can selectlvely restrainthe angu- [56] References Cited lar relation between the needle cylinderand the dial to either an in-phase relation or to an out-of-phase re-UNITED STATES PATENTS lation. The coupling can also be operated forreleasing the dial from the rotation of the needle cylinder. t. XCITC 11 l l l 4. 2,863,309 l2/l958 Larkin 66/95 4 Claims, 6 Drawing FiguresU.S. Patent Oct.21,1975 Sheetlof3 3,913,357

US. Patent 0a. 21, 1975 Sheet 2 of3 3,913,357

DIAL OPERATED STOCKING TOE CLOSER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention relates to a control device in forming or closing the stockingtip on circular knitting machines, where this tip forming or closingoperation is accomplished by rotating the needle cylinder only (withrespect to the dial associated therewith) through an angle other than360 and more particularly a device by which the circular knittingmachine dial is first temporarily stopped, while the needle cylinder isrotating through a predetermined angle for closing the tip of a stockingbeing made, and then restarted to rotate concurrently with the cylinder,but being angularly outof-phase relative to the latter by thepredetermined angle through which the cylinder was rotated.

In known circular knitting machines the stocking tips are closed bycausing the needle cylinder to rotate relative to the dial eitherthrough a full rotation of 360, or through a rotation other than 360. Inthe former case, there is no risk of an angular phase difference betweenthe cylinder and dial, since the dial will disengage only for a completerevolution of the cylinder. However, when the needle cylinder rotatesrelative to the dial either more or less than 360, restarting the dialcreates a problem, since the dial is angularly displaced with respect tothe cylinder. To overcome this problem, prior art devices provide atemporary disengagement of the dial from the needle cylinder. The knowndevices provide means for axially moving on a supporting shaft a pinion,so that this pinion selectively meshes or not with a driven pinion fordriving or not driving the dial. According to the prior art devices, thedial is driven by the needle cylinder through a pinion which connectsthe dial with the cylinder. The pinion is mounted on a shaft along whichit is slidably mounted. When the needle cylinder must be disengaged fromthe dial, the pinion is axially shifted along said shaft. It istherefore clear that when the pinion is again moved to a position inwhich it connects the cylinder with the dial it is practicallyimpossible to have the dial in the exactly desired angular position inrespect of the needle cylinder. This phase displacement renders theprior art devices unreliable in operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide a device of the above design, which is of a simple structure andeasy and inexpensive to manufacture, as well as effective and reliablein operation because of entirely avoiding any possibility of incorrectlypositioning the dial relative to the cylinder, as a result of a possiblelifting and successive lowering of the machine dial support.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device forselectively retaining the angular relation between the dial and theneedle cylinder to either an inphase relation or to an out-of-phaserelation.

According to the invention, there is provided a control device forforming or closing a stocking tip on a circular knitting machine byrotating a needle cylinder relative to a dial through an angle otherthan 360. The control device includes a needle cylinder having a ringgear fast therewith. A gear wheel keyed on a first shaft meshes with thering gear. A second shaft is positioned concentric to the first shaftand carries a pinion keyed thereon. A gearing system rotatably connectsthe pinion with the dial associated with the needle cylinder of thecircular knitting machine. Two shaped elements are concentricallycoupled to the first shaft and partially overlie each other, one of theelements being secured to the first shaft, and the other being movableand rotatable with respect to the first element. The surfaces of the twospaced elements which face the second shaft each comprise circularrings, and each circular ring has a slot radially extending relative tothe first shaft. A shaped body member is provided keyed to the secondshaft and serves as a seat for a slide key movably positioned in theseat, the seat opening to the circular rings of the two shaped elementswhere the slots are formed. A slide key control member is provided forcontrolling the slide key movement between a first position where theslide key is inserted in one of the slots restraining the shaped bodymember to the shaped elements, and hence the needle cylinder to thedial, and a second position where the slide key is maintained away fromthe slots and the dial is released from the needle cylinder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For better understanding the structureand operation of the device according to the invention, a preferredembodiment thereof will now be described, as shown by way of example,reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view of the device, taken alongline [-1 of FIG. 3, with the constituting members thereof arranged forphased rotation of the needle cylinder and dial of a circular knittingmachine;

FIG. 2 is again a schematic sectional view showing a portion of thedevice under dial stop conditions;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic sectional view taken along line IIIIIIof FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is another fragmentary schematic sectional view of the devicetaken along line lVlV of FIG. 2, wherein the dial support plate has notbeen shown for simplicity,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing two shaped elements in explodedposition; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the two shaped elements inassembled position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the drawings, a portion of acircular knitting machine is schematically shown. More particularly, aneedle cylinder 1 carries a ring gear 2, and a gear wheel 3 meshes withsaid ring gear 2 and is keyed on a vertical shaft, on the top end ofwhich, as guided on a support plate 5 of the ordinary dial 6 associatedwith the needle cylinder 1, a pinion 7 is keyed and rotably drives saiddial by means of gears 8a, 8b, and 80.

As it will be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the shaft having the gear wheel 3and pinion 7 keyed thereon is separated by comprising two shaft portionsor sections, the lower section 9 of which carries the gear wheel 3 keyedthereon and constantly rotates as the cylinder 1 is rotating, and anupper section 10 coaxial with the restrained to the first section 9, andhaving said pinion 7 keyed thereon. Two shaped elements 11 and 12, shownin detail in FIGS. 5 and 6, partially overlying each other, are attachedto the top end of said lower shaft section 9. More particularly, theelement 11 is directly keyed on the shaft section 9, while the element12 can be selectively attached on the element 11 at one of a pluralityof positions angularly rotated relative to said element 11. In theembodiment shown, the element 11 has adjacent the shaft section 9 aprojecting extension 11A only partially extending thereabout, and aradial slot 13 is formed in this extension 11A, as clearly shown in FIG.3. The shaped element 12, attached on element 11 by means of screws, isof annular configuration and has a projecting extension 12A, on which aradial slot 14 is formed. Still referring to FIG. 3, it will beparticularly seen that said slots 13 and 14 are on concentric anddifferent circular crowns or rings, and the slot I4 is angularly spacedapart relative to slot 13.

At the radially outer free end of the slot 14 on element 12, the freeend of an elongated plate 15 extends, substantially parallel to theshaft portion or section 9 and secured on a sleeve 16 which is freelyaxially movably mounted on said shaft section 9.

Under the rest conditions shown in FIG. 2, the sleeve 16 is downwarddisplaced and the upper end of plate 15 is retained below the bottom ofslot 14. A control member is effective on said sleeve 16 and comprises alever 18 which in turn is connected to and operated, through a kinematicarrangement not shown for simplicity and readily devisable by thoseskilled in the art, by suitable cams carried on the cam cylinder or drumwhich is part of the circular knitting machine to which the device isapplied.

Thus, the upward movement of the sleeve 16 can be programmed, thepositioning of the upper end of plate 15 corresponding thereto inregister with the corresponding slot 14 (FIG. 1), for the purpose to behereinafter set forth.

A shaped body member 19 is keyed to the lower end of the shaft sectionand has an axial cylindrical cavity in which the upper end of the shaftsection 9 is accomodated and centered (FIG. 1). The body member l9 has aseat 19A formed therein, in which a slide key 20 is accomodated andvertically movable for engagement in either slots l3, 14 of saidelements ll, 12. This slide key 20 is held downward pushed by a spring21 and is upward movable through control members comprising a lever 22which is also connected to and driven (as readily devisable by thoseskilled in the art and for simplicity not shown in the drawings) by saidcam drum or cylinder of the circular knitting machine.

The elements ll, 12, slots l3, l4, and body member 19 with slide key 20substantially form an axial joint for connection between said two shaftportions 9, 10 so that, when said joint is engaged, the rotary motion istransmitted from the needle cylinder 1 to the dial 6 for simultaneousrotation thereof.

Particularly, it will be appreciated that when the slide key 20 of bodymember 19 keyed on the shaft section 10 is engaged in the slot 13 ofelement 11 (FIG. 1), the dial 6 is in phase with the needle cylinder 1and rotates concurrently therewith to make, for example, the edge of thestocking being made. During this process stage, the plate on the lowersleeve 16 is held upward displaced. so as to overlap the radially outerfree end of the slot 14 on the element 12 and obstruct the same forpreventing the key from engaging by mistake in said slot.

Thus, in case the support 5 of dial 6 is lifted and then lowered again,there is no possibility of changing the phasing of the dial relative tothe needle cylinder.

When, on completion of the stocking manufacture, it is required to closethe tip thereof by rotating the cylinder 1 through an angle having anamplitude other than 360, then the dial should be temporarily releasedfrom the needle cylinder, while the latter moves through thepredetermined angular rotation.

in order to stop the dial, the cam cylinder or drum of the circularknitting machine causes through the lever drive 22 the upward movementof key 20, so that the joint or coupling is disengaged, as shown in FIG.2, while at the same time the plate 15 is downward moved for completefree access to the corresponding slot 14.

Thus, the dial ceases to rotate, while the needle cylinder angularlymoves for closing the stocking tip and also rotably drives the shaftsection 9.

Following the predetermined rotation of the needle cylinder, the key 20,as released by the lever 22 (still operated by the cam cylinder ordrum), moves downward back and engages in the slot 14 of the element 12keyed on the shaft section 9, so that the needle cylinder and dial canjointly rotate until stocking completion. Because of the angulardisplacement of the slot 14 relative to slot 13, the dial isout-of-phase with respect to its original position on the needlecylinder.

The process requires that the dial be out-of-phase in order to close thestocking tip, because the closure is formed by rotating the needlecylinder 1 through an angle other than 360 while the knitting machinedial 6 is temporarily stopped, and then restarting the dial to rotateconcurrently but out-of-phase with the needle cylinder.

Just before stocking completion and prior to starting the manufacture ofa new stocking, the machine cam cylinder or drum will provide forcontrolling the key 20 to lift, so that the coupling is disengaged.Then, the key 20 can be moved back to engage in the central slot 13,resulting in the correct phase displacement of the dial relative to theneedle cylinder.

Finally, it should be noted that a friction element 23 is preferablyassociated with the body member 19 keyed on the shaft section 10, thisfriction element 23 being fast with a lever 24 operable to move it onthe outer cylindrical surface of said body member 19 to readily brakethe rotation thereof along with the dial rotation.

The described device is also advantageous in that, by providing forsuitable controls on the cam drum, the key 20 can be moved to disengagethe shaft coupling and stop the dial for all the time its operation isnot required in the stocking manufacture to avoid continued wear thereofand members carried thereon, such as cutting members.

What I claim is:

l. A control device for forming or closing a stocking tip on a circularknitting machine by rotating a needle cylinder relative to a dialthrough an angle other than 360, comprising:

a needle cylinder having a ring gear fast therewith;

a gear wheel meshing with said ring gear;

a first shaft having said gear wheel keyed thereon;

a pinion;

a second shaft concentric to said first shaft, said pinion being keyedto said second shaft;

gears rotatably connecting said pinion with the dial associated with theneedle cylinder of the circular knitting machine;

two shaped elements concentrically coupled to said first shaft andpartially overlying each other, one of said shaped elements beingsecured to said first shaft and the other being selectively movable androtatable with respect to said one shaped element, the surfaces of saidtwo shaped elements facing said second shaft each comprising circularrings each ring having a slot radially extending relative to said firstshaft;

shaped body member keyed to said second shaft and having a seat;

a slide key movably positioned in said seat, said seat opening to saidcircular rings of said two shaped elements, where said slots are formed;and

a slide key control member for controlling the slide carried on saidfirst shaft and axially freely movable thereon;

an elongated plate carried on said sleeve and extending substantiallyparallel with said shaft, a free end of said plate extending to theradially outer edge of that slot of said shaped elements which is on oneof said circular rings more external to said first shaft than the otherslot;

an operable member connected to said sleeve for controlling the axialmovement of said sleeve between a first position, where said plate issuperimposed to said radially outer edge of said slot, and a secondposition where said plate is spaced apart from said radially outer edgeof said slot.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said slide key control memberand said operable member are connected by a kinematic arrangement to adrum of the circular knitting machine to which said device is applied.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a brake means for bearing against the outer peripheral surface of saidshaped body member, said brake means being connected to a kinematicarrangement opera'ble for controlling the movement of said brake meanson and away from said peripheral surface of said shaped body member.

l IF t t

1. A control device for forming or closing a stocking tip on a circularknitting machine by rotating a needle cylinder relative to a dialthrough an angle other than 360*, comprising: a needle cylinder having aring gear fast therewith; a gear wheel meshing with said ring gear; afirst shaft having said gear wheel keyed thereon; a pinion; a secondshaft concentric to said first shaft, said pinion being keyed to saidsecond shaft; gears rotatably connecting said pinion with the dialassociated with the needle cylinder of the circular knitting machine;two shaped elements concentrically coupled to said first shaft andpartially overlying each other, one of said shaped elements beingsecured to said first shaft and the other being selectively movable androtatable with respect to said one shaped element, the surfaces of saidtwo shaped elements facing said second shaft each comprising circularrings each ring having a slot radially extending relative to said firstshaft; a shaped body member keyed to said second shaft and having aseat; a slide key movably positioned in said seat, said seat opening tosaid circular rings of said two shaped elements, where said slots areformed; and a slide key control member for controlling the slide keymovement between a first position, where said slide key is inserted inone of said slots restraining said shaped body member to said shapedelements and hence the needle cylinder to the dial, and a secondposition where said slide key is maintained away from said slots and thedial is released from the needle cylinder.
 2. A device as claimed inclaim 1, including a sleeve carried on said first shaft and axiallyfreely movable thereon; an elongated plate carried on said sleeve andextending substantially parallel with said shaft, a free end of saidplate extending to the radially outer edge of that slot of said shapedelements which is on one of said circular rings more external to saidfirst shaft than the other slot; an operable member connected to saidsleeve for controlling the axial movement of said sleeve between a firstposition, where said plate is superimposed to said radially outer edgeof said slot, and a second position where said plate is spaced apartfrom said radially outer edge of said slot.
 3. A device as claimed inclaim 2, wherein said slide key control member and said operable memberare connected by a kinematic arrangement to a drum of the circularknitting machine to which said device is applied.
 4. A device as claimedin claim 3, further comprising: a brake means for bearing against theouter peripheral surface of said shaped body member, said brake meansbeing connected to a kinematic arrangement operable for controlling themovement of said brake means on and away from said peripheral surface ofsaid shaped body member.